Alan Smithers

Professor Robert Coe, from Durham University: “This seems to underline the view that improvements in GCSEs and some other examinations have had more to do with grade inflation than real sustained improvements over time.”

That was education in 2008 that was. A tests fiasco, curriculum change and more on the way, and Ofsted stretched to breaking point by an over-extended remit. Add to that funding fears, and all four of the main planks of the great Education Reform Act of 20 years ago look as though they will need to be revisited yet again in 2009.

The Newcastle manager, Joe Kinnear, is having to think creatively as he tries to put together a patched-up midfield for the Premier League trip to Portsmouth. The injury-hit Magpies head for Fratton Park on Sunday on the back of four successive draws, hovering just above the relegation zone.

Andrew Adonis's switch from education to transport leaves the Government's schools policy even more confused. Almost single-handedly, Adonis has conceived and driven forward academies, the independent schools within the state sector that seemed to be the future. Yet, just as the programme is gathering momentum, he moves on or is moved on.

Evidence of the sometimes conflicting agendas at the top at Newcastle United came yesterday when James Milner's written transfer request was made public by the club, one week after it was actually delivered to the hierarchy at St James' Park by the 22-year-old. The outcome may be that Milner joins Aston Villa for £9m, though Milner is unhappy with his pay at Newcastle, not the overall situation.

As Manchester United moved for Berbatov, there was increasing belief on Tyneside that Michael Owen will not be fit for Sunday's season opener at Old Trafford. At a Newcastle open training session at St James' Park yesterday morning, Owen merely jogged around the pitch as he recovers from a calf strain and, having not kicked a ball in pre-season, is almost certainly out of Sunday's match.

This year's SATs fiasco was an accident waiting to happen. It's not as if we weren't warned. There was a near collapse in 2004 when the English tests for 14-year-olds were delayed. An inquiry chaired by Mike Beasley, the former managing director of Jaguar, roundly criticised all those involved, and singled out "the poor leadership and inadequate project management". David Miliband, as school standards minister, said 'it must never happen again'; Ken Boston, chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority apologised profusely, and the little known head of its assessment arm was prevailed upon to fall on his sword. AQA, the exams body, stood down.

A gaggle of ministers was asked to give evidence last week to the Commons select committee that tracks the department for curtains and soft furnishings (dcfs). The reason that Barry Sheerman, the chairman, wanted them all together is that they all have responsibility for child poverty – so up rocked Stephen Timms, Beverley Hughes, Andy Purnell, Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper. The latter two are partners in real life, the first husband and wife team to appear before Sheerman. Being more important than anyone else, the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, was asked to open the batting and captain the team. No one demurred. When Yvette wanted to say something, Sheerman declared: "I think Yvette just winked at me that she wanted to come in. Is that all right?" So Ed gave way, and Yvette put her oar in. Maybe she would like a Sheerman figure at home in the kitchen, saying: "I think Yvette just winked at me that she would like you to do the washing up/children's baths/make the pasta/put the light out now."

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